Does your child learn best when he or she sees and experiences information?

Does your child skip words and lines when reading?

Does your child lose focus when bored or frustrated?

Is your child a lot smarter than their present reading comprehension level?

After they had answered yes to all give questions. Matthew asked, does that mean she is dyslexic or that she learns differently and has a vision and attention issue.

Susan answered, “This means she is a visual-spatial learner, who has both an attention and a visual tracking issue.

Susan and Matthew had been frustrated with two proposals they had gotten:

– A Wilson Reading Coach (R) said it normally takes 3 years to get through their program — with our reading program

– A Sylvan Learning Center estimated over 300 hours for their child

3D Learner strives to achieve Success in Months and Not Years — and we are often very successful because we teach the way the visual-spatial learner learners, we identify and address the relevant issues and we help the parents to be the coach and advocate their child needs.

Matthew, who was an understanding dad asked, three questions:

1- Susan really feels guilty about all this. Do you have something that could help?

2- It sounds like our child, but do you have a way we could screen for the learning difference and the related issues

3- If we find this is our child, who do we speak to

Mira has written a book, “Life is a Ball, Do Not Put Me in a Box” that describes these incredible kids. We had two like this. A parent might feel guilty, but there should be no guilt — since very few people understand these bright visual-spatial learners

We do offer a no cost screening assessment at www.3dlearner.com

Then you call us a debrief — all at no cost

The good news is that most bright visual-spatial learners can succeed in months and not years, if the student is taught the way he or she learns best, the relevant issues are addressed and the parents learn how to be the coach and advocate their child needs.

At the end of this article we will share a way to get a direct measurement of your child’s reading comprehension level.

The 3rd Grade Reading FCAT has been used for years as the tool to measure whether a student is on grade level.

Last year, 19% of the 3rd graders in Florida scored a Level 1 on the 3rd Grade Reading FCAT – also known as the 3rd grade FCAT.

That brought 3rd Grade Retention into play.

This year the 3rd Grade Reading FCAT has been replaced by the 3rd Grade Reading FSA (3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment).

We expect the percent of students scoring at grade level on the 3rd grade Reading FSA to drop from 58% to 30 to 35% — meaning that 65 to 70% of the 3rd graders will be below grade level.

To make matters worse, we expect 25 to 30% of the 3rd graders are likely to score a Level 1 and bring 3rd Grade Retention into play.

Schools will be giving 3rd Grade Benchmarks in October and telling parents the results in early November.

In Palm Beach County they will be using a Green. Yellow and Right Light System.

A Green Light means your child is doing well.

A Yellow Light indicates your child is probably below grade level, but may do well enough to avoid 3rd Grade Retention.

A Red Light indicates your child is well below grade level.

If you suspect a problem, we suggest you act quickly and decisively.

If your child does not have either an IEP (Individual Education Plan) or a 504 Plan that would provide either accommodations and services or just accommodations, we suggest you consider asking for an evaluation for special education services or a 504 Plan that would provide accommodations, if your child has ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or other qualifying condition.

The school may say that your child must go through Response to Intervention (RTI) before your child can be evaluated. There is a clear guidance from Washington that RTI cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation. Click here for our Avoiding The RTI Trap page.

If your child is struggling with reading comprehension, there is a good chance your child has a combination of learning differently and either an attention, visual tracking or related issue.

We do offer a no cost way to screen for a learning difference and an attention and visual tracking challenge at www.3dlearner.com.

The other critical piece of information you want to know is what is your child’s present level of reading comprehension. When you do the assessment, put in the comments section that you want a no cost reading comprehension assessment.

The new 3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment will result in a decline in passing rates from 58% to 30 to 35%. This is the test that is replacing the 3rd Grade Reading FCAT.

The new Florida Standards are much harder and the new 3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment will be far more difficult because:

– The test will go from two 70 minute tests to three 80 minute tests

– The passages are probably a grade to a grade and a half harder

– The questions will require more critical thinking skills

Testing of over 45000 3rd graders last year versus the new Common Core Standards, that are virtually identical to the new Florida Standards, showed 75% of the students tested were reading at the 0.8 grade level.

These included some students in special education, but was mostly regular education students.

Over the last year we have tested many students from Boca Raton, Parkland, Coral Springs and surrounding cities. We have seen similar challenges. A high percentage of the struggling 3rd Graders we tested were reading at the 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 grade level.

What are the ramifications of this:

1- We expect the percent getting a level 1 on the 3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment that will bring 3rd Grade Retention into play will increase from 19% last year to 25 to 30% this year

2- For the first time this will bring more students from Boca Raton, Coral Springs and Parkland into the at-risk category

3- The gap between where the students are at and where the student needs to be has gone from a year behind to two to two and a half years behind

4- If your child was struggling with reading comprehension last year, you child is probably a grade or more further behind — simply because the standards are harder

To help parents to be Informed, Empowered and Proactive 3D Learner will provide both parent briefings throughout the year, blog posts and videos to help parents, and we will respond to your questions. Just post them below, or if you want to keep it private, e-mail us at parents@3dlearner.com

We have also developed an Intensive Reading Program for students in 2nd through 5th grades and continue to offer 1-on-1 programs.

At a recent meeting,we discussed 3rd grade retention. In Florida 3rd Grade Retention has been a key strategy to eliminate Social Promotion. Studies show little benefit and significant challenges, but as a parent, you are caught in a bind.

There is a recent movement to Opt-Out of the Florida Standards Assessments. This is a bold act of civil disobedience, but it actually takes away the best chance a child has to be promoted. The next best option is a student portfolio, but schools often wait till January or even March to start this process and this leaves precious little time to complete this process.

We project that 25 to 30% of all Florida 3rd graders and 75 to 80% of the students with a learning disability will score a Level 1 on the 3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment and will be at risk for 3rd grade retention.

Since our goal is Success by 3rd Grade, we decided to go to the law and see what it says about initiating a student portfolio.

Here is what Statue 1008.25 on Reading Deficiency and Parental Notification says.

“A parent of a student in grade 3 who is identified anytime during the year as being at risk of retention may request that the school immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio”.

The entire text of the relevant section is posted at the bottom of this post, with a link to the whole statute.

We recommend that parents of a 3rd grader with a reading deficiency immediately request a student portfolio be developed.

The relevant portion of the statute is provided below with a link to the whole statute

2014 Florida Statute
1008.25 Public school student progression; remedial instruction; reporting requirements
(5) READING DEFICIENCY AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.—
(a) Any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading, based upon locally determined or statewide assessments conducted in kindergarten or grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3, or through teacher observations, must be given intensive reading instruction immediately following the identification of the reading deficiency. The student’s reading proficiency must be reassessed by locally determined assessments or through teacher observations at the beginning of the grade following the intensive reading instruction. The student must continue to be provided with intensive reading instruction until the reading deficiency is remedied.
(b) If a student’s reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of grade 3, as demonstrated by scoring Level 2 or higher on the statewide, standardized assessment required under s. 1008.22 for grade 3, the student must be retained.
(c) The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading, as described in paragraph (a), must be notified in writing of the following:
1. That his or her child has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in reading.
2. A description of the current services that are provided to the child.
3. A description of the proposed supplemental instructional services and supports that will be provided to the child that are designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency.
4. That if the child’s reading deficiency is not remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good cause.
5. Strategies for parents to use in helping their child succeed in reading proficiency.
6. That the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) is not the sole determiner of promotion and that additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are available to the child to assist parents and the school district in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and ready for grade promotion.
7. The district’s specific criteria and policies for a portfolio as provided in subparagraph (6)(b)4. and the evidence required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s academic standards for English Language Arts. A parent of a student in grade 3 who is identified anytime during the year as being at risk of retention may request that the school immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio. http://leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1008/Sections/1008.25.html

Opting Out Increases the Chances for Third Grade Retention

Success by Third Grade beats Third Grade Retention or opting-out every time.

3rd Graders with a learning disability or dyslexia often have average to above average intelligence. With the right help, they should be able to do well enough on a Common Core Assessment or the Florida Standards Assessment to be promoted to 4th grade.

Opting-out is a poor choice unless there is a health concern or there is a significant cognitive disability.

Opt-out groups correctly point out that 3rd Grade Retention can be avoided without taking the 3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment,

Technically this is true, when you review this Reading to Learn article on 3rd Grade Promotion Criteria and 3rd Grade Retention, you may not realize passing the test is probably easier than any of the options.

Here are the exemptions from 3rd Grade Retention.

EXEMPTIONS FROM THIRD-GRADE RETENTION in reading can be exempted from the retention requirement and be promoted to fourth grade.

This is called a “good cause exemption.” Good cause exemptions are given to only the following students:

1. Limited English proficient students who have had less than two years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other Languages program.

2. Students with disabilities whose individual educational plan (IEP) shows that it is not appropriate for them to take the FCAT

3. Students who show an acceptable level of performance on an alternative standardized reading test approved by the

State Board of Education.

4. Students who show through a teacher-developed portfolio that they can read on grade level.*

5. Students with disabilities who take the FCAT and whose IEP or 504 Plan says that they have received intensive remediation in reading for more than two years but who still show a deficiency in reading and who were previously retained in kindergarten through grade 3

6. Students who have received intensive remediation in reading for two or more years but who still has a deficiency in reading and who have already been retained in kindergarten through grade 3 for a total of two years.

The alternate assessment requires a student to be at the 45th percentile and the portfolio takes a lot of work and cooperation from the school.

At 3D Learner, we know that with the right help a student can:

– Score a Level 2 or 3 on the Third Grade Reading FSA and be promoted to 4th grade

– A student can be prepared to succeed in fourth grade and beyond

– Parents can reduce the stress on their child and for themselves — by

We recommend a three-pronged attack to achieve Success by Third Grade

1- If you suspect your child has a learning disability or dyslexia and they are in the RTI or Response to Intervention Process — request an evaluation ASAP — for specifics, go to The RTI Trap

2- Request a portfolio be started ASAP — this is one of the Good Cause Exemptions — See Florida Statute 1008.25 Section 5, paragraph c point 7

The district’s specific criteria and policies for a portfolio as provided in subparagraph (6)(b)4. and the evidence required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida’s academic standards for English Language Arts. A parent of a student in grade 3 who is identified anytime during the year as being at risk of retention may request that the school immediately begin collecting evidence for a portfolio.

Only 14% of the students with a specific learning disability – dyslexia passed the 3rd Grade Reading FCAT in 2014.

In 2015, the 3rd grade Reading FCAT will be replaced by the 3rd Grade Reading Florida Standards Assessment.

The percent of students with a specific learning disability or dyslexia passing this test is likely to drop to 5 to 7%, and 75 to 80% of these students may be subject to 3rd Grade Retention.

Commissioner Stewart and others have agreed to hold teachers, schools and districts harmless from the negative consequences of this first year test, but students with dyslexia or a specific learning disability and other struggling students will feel the full force of this much more difficult test. 3rd Grade Retention Policy will be in full force in 2015.

As one of the leaders in the learning disabilities community, I formed a coalition with my colleagues to try and get the Commissioner of Education’s attention. We had a 7 hour-meeting with former Commissioner Robinson, and I had a half hour meeting with Commissioner Stewart, without either side changing their position.

There appears to be a belief in Tallahassee that scores will be similar to last year. I think that is like saying that a Category 5 Hurricane is heading right towards you and you think it will have no more impact than a Tropical Storm.

New York was the first state to introduce a Common Core Assessment, and their passing rate for all students dropped from 55 to 31%, and for students with disabilities the percent at grade level dropped from 16 to 6%.

I recognize that the Commissioner and some teachers and principals are more optimistic than I am..

I have a very good nose for smelling risk trends and I have no problem sharing my concerns.

I would consider the risk of passing rates plummeting for both all students and all sub-groups to be close to 100%, unless the Commissioner were to lower the passing scores.

Several reasons why the 2015 passing rates on the Florida Standards Assessments are likely to drop like a rock, especially for students with specific learning disabilities and dyslexia:

– The reading passages under the new Florida State Standards are much harder

– States like New York have seen their performance drop the first year and not recover the second year

– Most students with a specific learning disability or dyslexia who passed in prior years just got by. Wit the tougher passages and questions, watch out

– Very little different has been done. The State of Florida has increased their investment in Professional Development, but the full force has yet to be felt. Little has been done to train parents, to warn parents or to improve either the IEP (Individualized Education Plan Process or the allowed accommodations — although there is some time left to improve this.

If I were a parent of a 3rd grader with dyslexia or a 3rd grader with a learning disability I would be taking aggressive action — in the next post, we will discuss what an Informed, Empowered and Proactive Parent could and should do.

“It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

At 3D Learner, we do not look at the Symptoms of Dyslexia. We first focus on how a student learns best. Many students who have come to us with Dyslexia were visual-spatial learners, who learn best when the student sees and experiences information. Take Jennifer, a classic visual-spatial learner who:

– Had difficulty understanding frequently used words

– Had difficulty remembering words the student has previously seen and not mastered

– Skipped words and lines when reading

– Could not pay attention to that which was boring

– Avoided reading material she did not enjoy

This diagnosis led us to what we call a 3D Learning Approach — where one teaches the visual-spatial learner in a visual-experiential way, while addressing their challenges and building their love of reading and learning.

The challenge with defining dyslexia as a phonics-based program is that it leads to dyslexia programs that focus on weaknesses. We recognize that phonics is important, but suggest you first consider a dyslexia program that: works on the foundational skills of helping your child to understand frequently used words that do not generate a picture; that helps your child to remember words; and to identify and address your child’s relevant issues.

3D Learner is a hands-on Boca Raton Dyslexia Program. We have helped students from 38 states and 12 foreign countries.

3D Learner takes a very different view of the dyslexic student. Rather than focus on phonics, phonemic awareness and reading fluency, 3D Learner uses a 3D Learning approach – that focuses on the fact that most students with Dyslexia are visual-spatial learner who:

– Are often smart and even gifted – here is a great article called Upside Down Brilliance by Dr. Linda Silverman — a friend and colleague who coined the term visual-spatial learner

– Often have difficulty understanding frequently used words and recognizing words the visual-spatial learner has seen and not mastered

– Frequently have problems with attention and/or visual tracking

The challenge with most dyslexia programs is that they do not focus on these factors, and it takes years to get a dyslexic student to read well, but they still may struggle with comprehension, visual processing and attention.

Alan was a classic dyslexic student. His mom had been told to do one of the traditional programs. The estimate was that it would take a year to make a certain amount of progress.

Then she was referred to 3D Learner and he did well. Mom has the resources to do the dyslexia program, too.

Instead of taking a year, Alan completed the dyslexia program in 3 months — primarily because he had improved his vocabulary, word recognition, attention and visual tracking skills.

A good way to see if your child is a visual-spatial learner and to screen for attention, visual tracking or related issues at www.3dlearner.com

Mom was concerned with Florida’s 3rd Grade Retention Policy — where 3rd Graders are retained if the student scores a Level 1 on the 3rd Grade Reading FCAT, also known as the 3rd Grade FCAT.

The pediatrician recommended home schooling for Jennifer to avoid 3rd Grade Retention.

Jennifer did struggle with reading comprehension, but she did have a 105 IQ — or about the 58th percentile.

Mom asked us our opinion.

Jennifer had five characteristics we often see:

– Jennifer was a visual-spatial learner – who learns best when she sees and experiences information

– Jennifer had many strengths, but a few key weaknesses — she had trouble understanding frequently used words (but, what, if, except, etc.) and recognizing words she had seen and not mastered

– Jennifer lost focus when things were boring

– Jennifer skipped words and lines when reading

– Jennifer got really anxious when we just mentioned the word FCAT — with her heart rate soaring from 85 to 152

With this profile, we were very confident that Jennifer could avoid 3rd grade retention — which then impacted 19% of the students – if she did the 3D Learner Program (R) that improved her reading comprehension, attention, visual tracking, ability to be calm and her resilience.

Another pediatrician who was familiar with our work asked, “Why would a pediatrician make that recommendation, when she should be referring to an educational consultant like you — who specializes in visual-spatial learners.hat is who we strive to be — expert

If you have a concerned, visit our Success by 3rd Gradepage, download our book “Success by 3rd Grade“, take our no cost assessments, and if we can help, give us a call for a no cost consult at 561-361-7495,